Book
Malekula: a vanishing people in the New Hebrides
George Routledge and Sons, Ltd. • London • Published In 1934 • Pages:
By: Deacon, Bernard, Wedgwood, Camilla H. (Camilla Hildegarde).
Abstract
This monograph is a comprehensive survey of traditional Malekulan ethnography, based on Deacon's own field observations during the period of 1925-1927, and the memories of his native informants dealing with earlier historical periods. Copious notes were taken by the author during the years of his field work, but unfortunately he died of blackwater fever in 1927 before they could be organized into a form suitable for publication. After his death this task was left to Miss Camilla H. Wedgewood who edited the notes and put them into the final form of the publication presented here (with many editorial notes scattered throughout the text). Although Deacon's work centered primarily on the southwestern region of Malekula, he does present much comparative information on other regions of the island as well (northwestern, eastern, northern, central, etc.). Much of the document deals with the age grade rituals of the NIMANGKI and NALAWAN societies, but there is also abundant information on geography, kinship, marriage, the economic life, warfare, birth and initiation, the gongs (which are involved in many aspects of Malekulan life), death practices, totemism, and magic. Three appendices provide data on the prehistoric pottery used extensively in rituals, native texts of myths, and a glossary of native terms.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2002
- Region
- Oceania
- Sub Region
- Melanesia
- Document Type
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle ; 2000
- Field Date
- 1925-1927
- Coverage Date
- late eighteenth century - mid 1920s
- Coverage Place
- Island of Malekula, Vanuatu
- Notes
- by A. Bernard Deacon ; edited by Camilla H. Wedgwood. With a pref. by A. C. Haddon.
- 'Native texts: stories and myths recorded in the dialects of Malekula, and translated wholly or in part by A. B. Deacon': p. 715-736
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 757-760) and index
- LCSH
- Malekula (Vanuatu)